Memphis Coach Claps Back at Warriors’ Steve Kerr Comments About Playing ‘Dirty’

Getty/Tim Nwachukwu

Taylor Jenkins of the Memphis Grizzles signals to his players against the Philadelphia Sixers at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Although Games 1 and 2 between the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors have been super competitive and fun to watch, there have been several moments in both games that have drawn much of the attention away from the stellar game play.

In Game 1, Draymond Green fouled Brandon Clarke with under two minutes left in the first half, and was whistled for a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game. After the game, Clarke commented how it was not surprising that Green fouled so hard, because the Warriors forward has always been like that.

At the start of Game 2, Dillon Brooks made a hard foul on Gary Payton II who was going up ready to hammer down one of his signature dunks. Brooks was whistled for a Flagrant 2 and tossed from the game. It definitely looked like it was intentional, and Brooks was not trying to make a clean foul. Even teammate Clarke admitted on The Lowe Post podcast that Brooks fouled Payton II too hard.

“I don’t know if it was intentional, but it was dirty,” Kerr emphasized after Game 2. “Playoff basketball is supposed to be physical, and everybody is going to compete and fight for everything. But there is a code in this league. There’s a code that players follow, where you never put a guy’s season/career in jeopardy by taking someone out in mid-air and clubbing him across the head, ultimately fracturing Gary’s elbow.”

Kerr accused Brooks of breaking the code where players should not be fouling guys that were in front of them, especially up over the shoulders. As the primary perimeter defender against Ja Morant, Payton II was supposed to be an integral part of the Warriors rotation. Now the Dubs will have to figure out how to win the series without the stalwart defender.

Memphis Taylor Jenkins Sounds Off on Attacks of His Players

Obviously, it isn’t surprising that Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins is protecting his players, especially when getting ridiculed by the majority of people.

“I also wanted to address a narrative out there that was said between Game 1 and Game 2,” Jenkins says after Game 2. “It was said that we have to play more physical, and the word dirty has been thrown out there. I look at my locker room and I look at our culture and what we exude — we are the furthest thing from dirty. We are competitive. I want that to be squashed pretty quick here.”

Jenkins does have a point. The culture that Jenkins has built has mirrored what the city of Memphis ‘grit and grind’ mentality is all about. The Grizzlies finished tied for 5^th overall in defensive rating of 108.9, and a 2^nd seed in the Western conference, a testament to what Jenkins has instilled with his roster all season long.

Aftermath of Gary Payton II Injury and Repercussions for Dillon Brooks

 Both Payton II and Brooks will not be available in Game 3 of the series.

Payton II will be out for the next 3-5 weeks, and will likely not be available for the remainder for the playoffs. Brooks was suspended for Game 3, but will likely to be back for Game 4 to guard Steph Curry.

The narratives of dirty play have been thrown on both sides, and has taken away from the stellar performances from both teams. It is unfortunate this has transpired, but hopefully the rest of the series will continue to showcase the talents of both teams without the ‘dirty’ narratives.